The 8th Samurai
by Wammygirl2259
Summary: Everyone knows the story of the seven samurai who were sought out by Kanna village, they know of their journey and triumph... But very few know of the 8th samurai, who formed more than just friendship with one samurai... There is an old samurai who knows this story by heart and wants nothing more than to pass his tale onto you, so take a seat by the fire and listen closely...
1. Chapter 1: The Old Samurai

_To Begin_

An old man, a rusted chipped sword to his side, is seated infront of a small bond fire, a cup of tea placed in his hand. He is surrounded by other samurai both young and old. They all stare at this legend, his hair white along with the slight stuble on his chin, his skin pale and sagging with wrinkles, his eye's telling his lifes story. The old samurai begins to speak.

"Everyone knows the story of the seven samurai, who came together to save a small rice farming village named Kanna, a village tourmented and robbed by the robotic samurai called nobusari. This took place fourty four years ago, and the first battle began on this night, under this courter moon." He took a drink of his tea, then sat the cup aside, and began to speak once more.

"But very few know of the eighth samurai who fought along side the seven, a young female samurai no older than that of seventeen years. She had not been sought out by Kambie; she battled in the great war with he and Shiroji, but Kambie knew not where to search for her; it was only by sheer luck that she would fight along side her old mates once again."

"This story is one of great triumph, defeat and the loss of more than just team mates..." He paused for a moment as his small audiance grew anxious. "Shall I begin?"

"Yes please master samurai!" One of the men say, with a smile the old samurai noddes and begins the story, that he shares with seven other warriors.


	2. Chapter 2: Her Blade

_Her Blade_

The seven samurai had just arrived in Kanna village, there was a dense fog blanketing the area; the wind was light and the air was thick. The village was seemingly deserted... The villagers were hiding away, afraid of the very samurai that they had hired.

"Kambie-dono are you sure this is the right village?" Hatchie questioned.

"Let us not doubt Lady Kirara." He responded, as Rikichi and Komachi began banging on the doors of the small huts, begging their fellow farmers to come out of hiding.

Loud enginees roared, five large machines baring swords came barelling toward them. Before the seven could draw their weapons, the five machines laid on the ground chopped into small peices.

"Kambie, Shiroji I was hoping I would see you again." A strong female voice exclaimed from the mist.

"Who said that?!" Katsushiro questioned.

"That would be me." The voice came from behind, the seven turned quickly. Their stood a girl.

Small with an hour glass figure, long black hair, red eye's, tatered red scarf, a black tank top shirt with a high collar. Black pants cut above the knee. Red tatered cloth hung from a belt around her waste, it hung down to her knees, exposing her pant covered thighs. She had armored plates on her shoulders, armor on her left shin, and on her right wrist.

Alone she seemed tough and menacing, her eye's told of her experiance in battle and wisdom of life, she held her head high showing her pride. She was impressive she definatly stood out, but one thing made her look like the deadliest samurai ever to walk the planet... Her sword, it was big sheathed on her back, it was wider than her and just as tall, this sword was even bigger than Kikuchiyo's.

She was a deadly beauty that any samurai would like to pursue.

"Hey Suki-dono!" Shiroji walked to the the teen samurai, and greated her with a hug.

"Shiroji long time no see! How've you been?" She questioned.

"As good as an old man can be." The two laughed. She turned her attention to the other samurai, a grin planted on her face.

"I'm sorry I hope I didn't scare any of you!" She said refering to her earlier attack. "Those darn things are just so pursitant; they're really gettin' on my last nerve!"

"Kambie-dono who is this girl?" Gorobie questioned, with an amused smile.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry I completely forgot to introduce myself!" She exclaimed in a flustered panic which ended quickly. "I'm Suki Kurosaki," She bowed slightly, "it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Suki- dono was in the great war with Shiroji and I, she was our team mate." Kambie explained.

"You mean that little thing was in the great war!" Hatchie exclaimed in surprize.

"Yeah, not only that but she took out seven nobusari squadrines by her self." Shiroji said.

"That's amazing, she must be really strong." Katsushiro said as he looked to the girl.

"She's almost the size of sprout!" Kikuchiyo exclaimed, refering to his side kick Komachi.

"Your exagerating Keeku-dono." Kambie stated.

"I like your hat!" Suki exclaimed as she jumped up infront of Hatchie, he blinked in confusion at the sudden out burst, then bent down slightly to get closer to her hieght.

"Um. Thank you." He stated.

"I hope this doesn't inconveniance you Shimada Kambie." An old man said, it was the village elder, he came toward them Kirara by his side the villagers following behind him.

"Hey old man what's shakin?" Suki waved to the elder who chuckled in response.

"I took the liberty of hireing Miss. Suki, I thought she would be best suited for this job, concidering she once lived in this village." He explained.

"It's no trouble, I would've seaked her out myself if I had known where to look." Kambie agreed.

"SUKI!" Komachi squeeled as she tackled the female samurai's legs.

"Hey munchkin!" She replied.

"My sprout is your munchkin?" Kikuchiyo questioned, the two girls looked up to him and replied.

"Well DUH!"

The Samurai were taken to the elders hut, to speak of warfare and such, it was only afterwards that Kambie introduced everyone to Suki.

"Alright we're going to prepair for the upcoming battle, lets set up patrol teams of two." Shiroji announced. Katsushrio and Keekuchiyo were patroling the west side of the village, Kuzo and Gorbie at the south, Kambie and Shiroji at the north and finally, Hatchie and Suki at the east.

The camp fire flares slightly, all eye's remain on the ancient samurai, as he continues his tale.

"Thus began the battle preparations. Creating weapons, teaching farmers to use those weapons. As they tied bonds to newly formed arrows, a bond of a different nature formed between two samurai, who would soon be known as the most tragic pair in a world of war." As these words slip from the old warriors, dry lips the wind wailes fiercly as if trying to silence him; the fire is extinguished and the samurai's small camp goes black.


	3. Chapter 3: The Strongest

_The Strongest_

A match is struck, the fire flares up once more, the newly born yellow and orange flames dancing in the now still night.

The light eluminates the old samurais features but shadowes most, creating an erie feeling amoungst the othe swords men. The elderly man continues his story with a raspy voice.

"These two would become the best of friends, the worst of enemies, and the tenderest emphatuation would be created between them.''

The sky was dark and the farmers were quickly exhausting, most went on to rest while others stayed to be taught the way's of battle.

Two samurai stood alone at the east of the village, they were atop a cliff which over looked much of the village and forestry surrounding it. Hatchie was fiddling with a new weapon he had created, while Suki stood at the cliffs edge sniffing the air, and scanning the area she was searching for any sign of danger; she saw none.

"You battled along side Kambie-dono in the Great War right?" Hatchie questioned looking to the young girl, who spoke in a kind voice and continued scanning the area.

"Yes I did, why is it so hard for you to believe?" She questioned, he chuckled.

"Your so tiny and you don't have much muscle, so at first it was hard for me to believe... But then I looked at your hands." She looked to him and blinked, then she held her hands outward and gazed at them.

"You've got the hands of a warrior... They're rough and strong." He finished. She put her hands down, then she turned to him a serious look on her face, there was one moment of silence then she spoke.

"I have absolutely no idea what your talkin' about." A grin spread across her face.

"Ah man lots of people say that to me!''

"Well start making sense and they won't you big dumby!"

"Great Samurai! Come quick, it's the nobusari! They've finally come to battle!" A farmer cried from behind them.

"Jeez already? How about giving us a little time to breath robot meanies." Suki sighed.

"Well this is a surprize! I figured you'd be all excited to fight." Hatchie laughed.

"No truth is theres nothing I hate more than using my sword to take a life... You may understand in a while, your first kill is coming soon." Hatchie looked to her.

"Who'd you know I've never killed before?" She paused another serious look on her face.

"Mmmm... Womans intuition." She crossed her arms, and smiled down to her fellow samurai.

"Great Samurai! The Nobusari are drawing near!" The Farmer cried once more.

Hatchie stood slowly as Suki came forward; they didn't hurry they knew that they had time to get to the village center, so they lesurely walked as if it were just a normal Sunday evening, like there was nothing to do and nothing to war against, like it was just another day and they had all the time in the world...

"They could pretend all they wanted..." The old samurai narrated, his head bowed slightly, his eye's closed shut. "They could fantasize that the Great War had not ruined their sense of safety, they could dream that the up coming battle was something they needn't worry about that they would make it to their golden years..." He pauses a moment, just a moments hesitation comes from the man. Finally he brings his head up and opens his blue eye's, the fire reflection dancing in them.

"But pretending is for children, fantasizing is for the wealthy, and all dreams end... As the samurai's they are, they walk so leasurely to battle field and defeat as many enemies as possible... They will win this battle, but they will lose someone presicous in the end."


End file.
